A CHURCH choir became angels of mercy when they broke off from singing practice to rush to the aid of car crash victims.

The singers, from Burnley and Nelson, were coming to the end of the Easter celebration when they heard the collision outside the United Reformed Church in Brunswick Street.

Members of the group rushed out to help give first aid to the four people trapped in the cars while others called the emergency services.

When the emergency services arrived the church was then turned into an emergency field hospital where the injured were treated before being taken to hospital.

Three people were taken to Burnley General Hospital by ambulance and a fourth to Blackburn Royal Infirmary following the two-car crash at the corner of Chapelhouse Road and Brunswick Street which happened at about 9.40pm yesterday.

One of the injured had head and chest injuries, the others were not believed to be serious.

The singing group were members of the Nelson and Burnley United Reformed churches who were marking Easter with a session of seasonal hymns.

Colin Wills, from the Burnley church, said: "We were finishing our session and starting to pack up to go home when the crash happened. One of our group ran out to try and help the people in the cars while another called for the ambulance and the fire brigade.

"The church was then given over to the emergency services so they could help the injured before they were taken off in the ambulances.

"It was fortunate that the church was open so it could be used.

"The churches had got together as we do twice a year for a sing and it just happened that we were there when the crash happened."

Adnan Hanif, 29, of Brunswick Street: "The noise was like a plane crashing and I think one of the cars was turned around twice.

"If it had happened half an hour earlier it would have been complete carnage with all the people going to the church. The hand of God must have been there.

"I was first on the scene and all of the people came out of the church to help. They brought blankets and the Reverend was moving people away from the scene. They were really great."

His brother Zeeshan added: "It's a really close community round here and everyone was trying to help.

"The people from the church were great and took strangers inside to help them.

Leading firefighter Peter Basford, of Nelson fire station, said: "Fortunately a choir were practising in a nearby chapel at the time of the accident which we were able to use as a first aid station."